bloghttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/509/all
enAT&T Responds to FaceTime Over Cellular Criticshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/att_responds_facetime_over_cellular_critics
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/att_logo_200px.png" alt="AT&amp;T logo" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />iOS 6 has yet to even be released and already, AT&amp;T is finding the update controversial with its plans to only allow FaceTime over cellular connections from the carrier's new Mobile Share data plans, which launch on Thursday.<br /><br /><a href="http://attpublicpolicy.com/fcc/enabling-facetime-over-our-mobile-broadband-network/" target="_blank">AT&amp;T's Public Policy Blog is attempting to address the complaints of critics</a> who find it unfair that the carrier is forcing customers to use its new Mobile Share data plans if they want to use FaceTime over cellular, a feature being introduced with iOS 6 this fall.<br /><br />Many critics are crying foul over the limitation, claiming that the requirement to use a specific data plan is in violation of the FCC's net neutrality rules -- but AT&amp;T is having none of it, calling these arguments "wrong" and "another knee jerk reaction."<br /><br />"Our policies regarding FaceTime will be fully transparent to all consumers, and no one has argued to the contrary," the blog notes. "There is no transparency issue here."<br /><br />Apparently, AT&amp;T feels they can get away with this restriction because FaceTime comes preinstalled with the mobile operating system -- a key difference from apps such as Skype, which must be installed from the App Store.<br /><br />"The FCC’s net neutrality rules do not regulate the availability to customers of applications that are preloaded on phones," the blog continues. "Indeed, the rules do not require that providers make available any preloaded apps. Rather, they address whether customers are able to download apps that compete with our voice or video telephony services. AT&amp;T does not restrict customers from downloading any such lawful applications, and there are several video chat apps available in the various app stores serving particular operating systems. Therefore, there is no net neutrality violation."<br /><br />The entire blog post is written in an overly confrontational, defensive manner and judging from the internet reaction on Wednesday morning, it's likely to fan the flames of discontent rather than calm the current backlash.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/att_responds_facetime_over_cellular_critics#commentsNewsAT&TAT&T iPhoneblogcellularcomplaintsconsumersdata plansFaceTimeiOS 6Mobile ShareNet NeutralityiPhoneWed, 22 Aug 2012 14:01:30 +0000J.R. Bookwalter14869 at http://www.maclife.comHow to Import Your Tumblr Blog into Wordpresshttp://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_import_your_tumblr_blog_wordpress
<!--paging_filter--><p>If you've been blogging at Tumblr for some time now, but are looking for something a little less microblogging meets Web 2.0, WordPress is the next best thing! Not only is it a highly customizable blogging tool, but you can also import your old Tumblr posts into your new WordPress blog. Read on to find out how to migrate your Tumblr posts to WordPress.<br /><br /></p><h3>1. Download Your Tumblr</h3><p>Tumblr 2 WordPress is a fabulously free service that does the guesswork for you. It's an online tool that creates a WXR (WordPress eXtended RSS) file from your Tumblr site, which can then be important into WordPress. And best of all, it actually works. <br /><br />To begin, scroll down to the Tumblr to WordPress Exporter module on the page.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.17.28-am.jpg" width="558" height="480" /></p><p>Type in your Tumblr account. Under Content format select HTML, and under Permalinks you can decide how you'd like the external links to format. Since we can't actually import the photos and music files you might have posted on your Tumblr, you'll have to link back to the original blog post so that your blog entries still have some context. <br /><br />Further down, you can also decide whether or not you want the posts to be immediately published, comments to be enabled or disabled, or if people can link to your Tumblr-on-WordPress entries. <br /><br />When you've decided, hit Export". <br /><br /></p><h3>2. Join WordPress</h3><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.17.01-am.jpg" width="549" height="480" /></p><p>If you haven't already, start an account at WordPress. Walk through that process and meet us at step three. <br /><br /></p><h3>3. Import Your Tumblr Posts</h3><p>Head over to your WordPress Dashboard, available at the top under My Blogs.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.29.06-am.jpg" width="159" height="119" /></p><p>Then, on the left-hand side of the screen, click on the Tools bar. After your browser takes you to that page, click on "Import". Select the option to import a WordPress export file.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.35.09-am.jpg" width="600" height="416" /></p><p>Select the file from your hard drive. Then select Upload file and import.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.35.14-am.jpg" width="620" height="190" /></p><p>WordPress will ask you to assign authors. Select your WordPress username from the drop down menu, and then select "Download and import file attachments." Click submit when you're done.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.36.34-am.jpg" width="620" height="183" /></p><p>This could take awhile. So, please, grab a milkshake.<br /><br /></p><h3>4. Pimp Your New Blog</h3><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.46.45-am.jpg" width="500" height="200" /></p><p>When your import is finished, WordPress will send you a kind and friendly email that your blog is ready for pimpin'. This is perfect, because you've been waiting for this moment throughout this entire how-to.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.51.27-am.jpg" width="620" height="430" /></p><p>Click the link. You'll notice that some of your photos might be missing -- it might be necessary for you to go through and either re-link or individually upload photos. But in essence, your Tumblr blog is there, right there, on your WordPress.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_import_your_tumblr_blog_wordpress#commentsblogbloggingBlogsTumblrwordpressMacHow-TosFri, 01 Jul 2011 20:10:04 +0000Florence Ion11562 at http://www.maclife.comStolen MacBook’s iSight Camera Leads Cops Right to Suspecthttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/stolen_macbook%E2%80%99s_isight_camera_leads_cops_right_suspect
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/stolen_laptop_suspect_200px.jpg" alt="Stolen MacBook suspect asleep" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Who needs the rumored “Find My Mac” feature in the upcoming Mac OS X Lion? In the case of a stolen MacBook, all that was required to catch the thief who nabbed it was the built-in iSight camera and a blog outlining what the suspect was up to.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/01/BAUB1JOAQL.DTL&amp;tsp=1" target="_blank"><em>The San Francisco Chronicle</em> is reporting</a> that Oakland police have arrested a suspected MacBook thief -- although in this case, “suspected” doesn’t quite accurately describe him, since Muthanna Aldebashi of Alameda was caught red-handed thanks to photos taken with the built-in iSight camera, which the victim then posted to his blog.<br /><br />The victim, Joshua Kaufman, had filed a police report about his stolen MacBook in late March, which was swiped from his North Oakland apartment. But Kaufman soon had another tool in his own personal fight against crime -- the MacBook had Hidden installed, software that can track a stolen laptop and even take photos of whoever’s using the computer when it’s connected to the internet.<br /><br />Kaufman used the photos provided by Hidden to write a blog called “This Guy Has My MacBook,” which soon became something of an internet sensation. The photos showed the suspect driving with the laptop open in his lap, peering into the screen while shirtless and even the one above, where he’s asleep on the couch.<br /><br />As fate would have it, Kaufman’s police report had been erroneously closed, but the increasing media attention over his blog soon lead the police to Aldebashi, a 27-year-old taxi driver who was arrested when undercover officers had the cab company send him for a pickup. Needless to say, they found the laptop in question at the man’s home.<br /><br />"It shows that when the system works, it works great," police spokeswoman Holly Joshi said. "The diligence of Mr. Kaufman is exactly what we need -- people who are engaged and are making an effort to reduce crime."<br /><br />Kaufman celebrated with one last blog post at the height of his short-lived internet celebrity: "An Oakland police officer just called me to let me know that they arrested the guy in my photos! BOOYA!"<br /><br />Remember, would-be thieves: Crime doesn’t pay… well, that or don’t steal anything with a camera attached to it…<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a><br /><br />(Image courtesy of SFGate.com)</em></p><p><em><br /></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/stolen_macbook%E2%80%99s_isight_camera_leads_cops_right_suspect#commentsNewsblogbloggingcameracrimehiddeniSightMacBookpolicestolenTheftMacThu, 02 Jun 2011 12:52:31 +0000J.R. Bookwalter11186 at http://www.maclife.comWhy Net Neutrality Mattershttp://www.maclife.com/article/blogs/why_net_neutrality_matters
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u286882/comcast200.jpg" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />According to a reports from a number of <a href="http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/netflix-partner-says-comcast-toll-threatens-online-video-delivery/" target="_blank">credible sources</a>, it looks as though <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/comcast_releases_xfinity_remote_ipad_and_iphone" target="_self">Comcast</a> has had just about enough of streaming content providers, or more to the point, <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/netflix_streaming_only_subscriptions_now_available" target="_self">Netflix</a>. Back on November 19th, the company, which is no stranger to bullying high-bandwidth users, informed <a href="http://www.level3.com/" target="_blank">Level 3 Communications</a>--the contractor responsible for making Netflix’s streaming magic happen--that they would be forced to pay a toll for the privilege of being able to transmit content to end-users on their network. The broad strokes of the story are that Level 3 gave into Comcast’s demands in order to ensure uninterrupted Netflix service to the millions of Comcast users who rely upon the streaming service for the few hours of media-enabled escapism that their day affords. However, looking deeper into the issue, the devil is most certainly in the details.</p><p>With the recent announcement that Netflix is responsible for close to 20% of all downstream Internet traffic during peak usage hours, it was only a matter of time before an ISP decided to take a swipe at them. It should come as no surprise that Comcast would be the ones to deliver the upstart DVD delivery and video streaming service the comeuppance they apparently deserved. After all, aside from their being one of the largest ISPs in the United States, the company also holds stakes in cable and their very own Fancast media streaming solution: two businesses that the growing popularity of Netflix directly threatens. It’s because of conflicts of interest exactly like this that the debate over Net Neutrality has become such a hot topic. For some time now, the Federal government, and a number of companies with vested interests and somewhat less than scrupulous designs on the subject, have been trying to come to an something resembling an agreement on the matter. Without a law--or at the very least, a code of conduct that ISPs can agree to adhere to--there is nothing to stop a company from throttling specific types of data traffic or refusing access to their networks should it please them to do so.</p><p><br />This, as we can now see, is exactly what Comcast is doing. Why are they doing it? We’d suggest that Netflix’s success arguably comes at a loss from Comcast’s coffers. As such, Comcast has opted to try and recoup some of that potentially lost on-demand media and cable revenue by charging Netflix, by way of Level 3 Communications, a toll before allowing them to deliver their wares to Comcast subscribers. On Comcast’s <a href="http://blog.comcast.com/2010/11/comcast-comments-on-level-3.html" target="_blank">corporate blog</a> this morning, the company’s Senior Vice President of External Affairs and Public Policy Counsel Joe Waz argues his employer’s dispute with Level 3 Communications is the result of Comcast’s not getting back as much as they are giving:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><em>"To be lasting, business relationships should be mutually beneficial. In cases where the benefit we receive is in line with the benefit we deliver, we will exchange traffic on a settlement-free basis. Contrary to [other ISPs] public statements, reasonable, balanced, and mutually beneficial agreements for the exchange of traffic do not represent a threat to the Internet. They don't represent a threat to anyone other than those trying to get a free ride on someone else's network."</em></p><p>This would be a reasonable position, were the issue at stake one surrounding the exclusive business dealings of the two companies. However, that’s not what we have here. Comcast isn’t holding access to their network hostage because of anything that Level 3 Communications or Netflix has done to them. They’re enforcing a toll on content that their internet service provision customers have already paid for. If Level 3 Communications hadn’t agreed to pay Comcast’s ransom, it’s very likely that the ISP’s customers would be cut off from Netflix by now. That’s not good business.</p><p>It’s not even smart business.</p><p>It’s saying that your bottom line is more important than your customer’s desires. In the end, that kind of behaviour could end up costing them more from lost consumer revenue than they could ever made off of any tariff they felt fit to charge another business. This is why <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/feature/google_verizon_net_neutrality_pact_10_years_future" target="_self">net neutrality</a> is so important. When private interests are left to decide how and what the paying public can access via the internet, everybody loses.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/SeamusBellamy" target="_blank">Seamus Bellamy on Twitter</a></em></p><p><em><br /></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/blogs/why_net_neutrality_matters#commentsBlogsblogComcastend userLegalNet NeutralitynetflixopinionsskullduggeryTue, 30 Nov 2010 21:35:18 +0000Seamus Bellamy9083 at http://www.maclife.comHow To Start Blogging with WordPresshttp://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/howto_start_blogging_wordpress
<!--paging_filter--><h3>Get your own website up and running in minutes with the WordPress content-management system</h3><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Websites can be a pain to set up--even with HTML and CSS, hand-coding a site can take hundreds of hours. And it gets worse if you want a website you can update frequently because you’d have to dig back into the original code to make changes. Enter the CMS, or content-management system, designed to let you easily update a site without monkeying with the underlying code. WordPress is perhaps the most impressive, powerful, and widely used blogging CMS there is. For beginners and non-technical types, it’s incredibly easy to set up, even if you’re using your own domain. More advanced users can tweak WordPress to an incredible degree with themes and plug-ins, and power users can even adjust the open-source code with a basic text editor.</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/blog_380.jpg" width="380" height="250" /></p><p>We’ll assume you want a self-hosted blog with your own domain name; for example, mygreatsite.com. (The other option, a hosted blog, is easier but less professional looking. Wordpress.com lets you sign up for a free hosted blog.) You can get a cheap domain name at <a href="http://www.NearlyFreeSpeech.net" target="_blank">NearlyFreeSpeech.net</a>--a .com address runs about $9/year. Next you need somewhere for your blog to run. A WordPress blog is a piece of software, albeit not one that runs from your Mac. That means besides simple hard disk space on a server, you need a few minor bells and whistles to go with it. Make sure your prospective web host provides compatibility with PHP and SQL databases. Web hosting is cheap--NearlyFreeSpeech.net, for example, offers pay-as-you-go pricing for storage and bandwidth that can be as low as $2/month. Popular domain-registration and hosting service <a href="http://www.GoDaddy.com" target="_blank">GoDaddy.com</a> charges about $57/year for hosting with 10GB of storage and 300GB of traffic. That should be sufficient for most blogs, even if you intend to stream video. Lastly, pick up a good FTP client, which makes it easy to upload files to your blog--we like Fugu (free, <a href="http://rsug.itd.umich.edu/software/fugu/" target="_blank">rsug.itd.umich.edu/software/fugu/</a>).<br /><br /><strong>Difficulty Level: </strong>Medium</p><p><strong>What You Need: </strong></p><p><strong>&gt;</strong><strong>&gt;</strong> WordPress (free, wordpress.org)<br /><strong>&gt;</strong><strong>&gt;</strong> TextEdit (included with Mac OS X)<br /><strong>&gt;</strong><strong>&gt;</strong> FTP client such as Fugu (free, <a href="http://rsug.itd.umich.edu/software/fugu/" target="_blank">rsug.itd.umich.edu/software/fugu/</a>)<br /><strong>&gt;</strong><strong>&gt;</strong> Web hosting space (prices vary)<br /><strong>&gt;</strong><strong>&gt;</strong> Personal domain name (optional, prices vary)</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>1. Set Up an SQL Database</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/1-database_622.jpg" width="622" height="282" /><strong><br />Every host's SQL setup is a little different.</strong><br /><br />With your web hosting and domain name set up, the first step is to create an SQL database. Your new host’s help section will walk you through the process of setting one up. Make sure you note down the name of the database, as well as your username and password.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>2. Download WordPress</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/2-config_full.jpg" width="542" height="542" /><strong><br />Replace database_name_here, username_here, and password_here with the correct details. We also had to change localhost, according to our hosting company's instructions.</strong><br /><br />Download WordPress from wordpress.org. Rename wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php and open it using TextEdit. Go to the section called My SQL settings. Enter the details exactly as they appeared when you created your database.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>3. Secure Your Site</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/3-secure_full.jpg" width="516" height="292" /><strong><br />Looks like gibberish, but think of it as secret security sauce.</strong><br /><br />Copy and paste the link in the config file into the address bar of your web browser to generate a set of keys that will make your passwords harder to crack. Copy the keys from your web browser back into your config file. Save it and close it.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>4. Upload to New Host</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/4-upload_622.jpg" width="622" height="498" /><strong><br />Upload it all; you're basically installing WordPress in your web space.</strong><br /><br />Log in to your space using your FTP client (we’re using Fugu). You’ll get the login details from your hosting service, or try ftp://[your-site-name].com, although the address can vary depending on your hosts. Upload everything in your WordPress folder to your new host. Go to [your-site-name].com, and you’ll see the WordPress welcome screen.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>5. Name Your Blog</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/5-name_622.jpg" width="622" height="504" /><strong><br />Your blog needs a title, a username for you, and of course a password.</strong><br /><br />Think up a name for your blog and make sure you enter a reliable email address so your WordPress install knows where to reach you--this address will be used to notify you when someone leaves a comment on your blog, and it’s where a new password will be sent if you forget your old one. Make sure to change the username from “admin” to something less common and harder to guess, and use a strong password.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>6. Preview Your Blog</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/6-hello_622.jpg" width="622" height="463" /><strong><br />Our default blog isn't much to look at, but it's up and running, and it's ready for content and customization.</strong><br /><br />Once you’re in the WordPress Dashboad, click your blog’s name in the upper left (mouse over it for a tooltip saying Visit Site) to see the prototype of your new blog. When you next visit your blog, type [your-site-name].com/wp-admin to get to the login screen and Dashboard.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>7. Upload Multimedia</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/7-upload_622.jpg" width="622" height="313" /><strong><br />Let WordPress handle the uploading.</strong><br /><br />With WordPress installed, you’ll be able to see why so many bloggers swear by it. Naturally, you get rich text formatting, and WordPress allows you to upload images and videos without needing to revisit your FTP client. Once you’ve clicked Add New Post, simply click the image button on the toolbar, and WordPress will automatically upload your multimedia files into new folders on your FTP server.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>8. Explore Themes and Plug-ins</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/8-themes_622.jpg" width="622" height="446" /><strong><br />More themes than you can shake your mouse at.</strong><br /><br />In days gone by, installing new themes or plug-ins was a nuisance. You had to download a new theme, upload it via FTP, then activate it in WordPress. Now, if you go to WordPress’s Dashboard and click Appearance, you’ll see the Themes settings and an Add Themes tab. Click this, and you’re taken to a wonderland of free themes where installing a new one couldn’t be simpler. The same goes for plug-ins, which can be searched for by keyword. WordPress is resilient to user error as well--if you make a mistake in the front end (as opposed to in an FTP client or when trying to edit your WordPress database), you’re very likely to be able to undo your changes and return to a working version of your site.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>Why Not iWeb?</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It’s hard to ignore the temptation of Apple’s iWeb. You probably already have it, it produces acceptable results, and unlike WordPress, iWeb doesn’t make you go near an SQL database or fiddle with the back ends of hosting accounts or domain names. iWeb even has built-in and downloadable themes and enough multimedia compatibility to keep people happy.</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/iWeb_622.jpg" width="622" height="395" /></p><p>But WordPress leaves iWeb in the dust, especially for the ambitious webmaster or those who think they might make some money from their blog. For starters, WordPress has a far more active community than iWeb, which means a lot more choice when it comes to themes, as well as more plug-ins and more help forums if you get stuck. The upshot is that your website is likely to be more individual if you use WordPress. iWeb’s themes are quite heavy on clip art and stock backgrounds, which will mark your new site as the work of a rookie. iWeb is also poorly suited to blogging. It lets you add a blog, but in order to update it you need to be in front of a Mac that has iWeb installed--not much use if you’re without your MacBook. A WordPress blog can be updated from any computer with a web browser, and you won’t lose any features.<br /><br />iWeb does have a few upsides: it’s undeniably easy to use, and its iPhoto integration means that if you don’t care to learn anything new, you can still have a decent-looking presence on the web. But anyone with a modicum of ambition should give WordPress a go--you won’t regret it.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/howto_start_blogging_wordpress#commentsblogCMSHow towordpressHow-TosMon, 16 Aug 2010 18:04:48 +0000Dave Stevenson7902 at http://www.maclife.comPulse + Posterous = The iPad's Newest News Aggregator Teamhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/pulse_posterous_ipads_newest_news_aggregator_team
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u300425/pulse.png" alt="Pulse" title="Pulse" width="300" height="400" /></p><p>You're probably familiar with <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pulse-news-reader/id371088673?mt=8" target="_blank">Pulse</a>, one of the many beautiful ways to enjoy RSS feeds on your iPad. You're also probably familiar with <a href="http://www.flipboard.com/" target="_blank">Flipboard</a>, a new app that adds social functions to feed reading. Well, Pulse plans to add its own social functions tonight with a significant update.<br /><br />What's the update entail? It adds the ability for users to create their own "Pulses." Pulses are any articles a user selects, so each individual becomes an aggregator of news. This is where <a href="http://posterous.com/" target="_blank">Posterous</a>, a blogging service, comes in. Each Pulse is transferred to an automatically created Posterous blog, which allows users to share their selections with anyone--not just Pulse users.<br /><br />The best of all, Pulse posts will be featured on <a href="http://www.pulsememe.com/" target="_blank">Pulsememe</a>, a site that shows off what's hot in the Pulse blogosphere and lists the top Pulse bloggers.<br /><br />Pulse is available for Android, iPhone, and iPad, though the aggregator is currently iPad only. The service shows promise, but only has a few users at the moment, mostly from the Pulse team. Will Pulse be the next big way to find news? Only time will tell, but be sure to let us know what you think in the comments!</p><p><br />Via <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/02/pulse-posterous-pulsememe/" target="_blank">TechCrunch</a></p><p><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://twitter.com/ambikas" target="_blank">Ambika Subramony, on Twitter</a></em>.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/pulse_posterous_ipads_newest_news_aggregator_team#commentsNewsblognewsPulseSocial MediaiPadTue, 03 Aug 2010 17:50:06 +0000Ambika Subramony7789 at http://www.maclife.comBehind the Scenes of x264 Video Encodinghttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/behind_scenes_x264_video_encoding
<!--paging_filter--><p>After all of the hooting and hollering Google made over the release of their <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/google_announces_open_webm_video_format" target="_self">WebM</a> video codec yesterday, I realised I knew very little at all about how video encoding on a computer actually works--a shameful admission for a self professed geek.</p><p>So, this morning as I sat and drank my latte, I attempted to read the <a href="http://x264dev.multimedia.cx/?page_id=2" target="_blank">Diary Of An x264 Developer</a>. As I made my way through the blog, I discovered two things:</p><p>First, video streaming developers are, like, really smart.</p><p>Second, The coffee goggles? They do nothing.</p><p>No amount of caffiene will ever allow the uninitiated to fully understand the underlying complexity of what it takes to ensure that the video you just watched on your box's <a href="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/">VLC player</a> or that DVD you ripped with HandBrake working correctly. That said, <a href="http://mirror05.x264.nl/Dark/consulting.html" target="_blank">Jason Garrett-Glaser</a>, Diary Of An x264 Developer's writer, as well as the guy currently leading the charge to push the development of the open-source x264 software library forward, does his very best to make what goes on under the hood of the video encoding technologies we all enjoy and take for granted every day.</p><p>If you're looking for a fascinating behind the scenes peek at what makes video encoding tick, and some timely insight into what developers have in store for us in the near future, it's well worth your time to make a visit to Garrett-Glaser's site.</p><p><img src="/files/u286882/goggles.jpg" width="320" height="256" /></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/behind_scenes_x264_video_encoding#commentsNewsblogVideo encodingvideo streamingThu, 20 May 2010 15:59:36 +0000Seamus Bellamy6965 at http://www.maclife.com